Gettysburg, PA weather in December
In December, Gettysburg sees highs around 43°F and lows around 27°F: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Expect about 10 wet days. Snowfall averages about 3.6 in.
- Normal high
- 43°F
- Normal low
- 27°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 3.6 in
- snow on the ground 4 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 47°F | 39°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 24°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:11 am / 4:44 pm | 7:30 am / 4:53 pm |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 9.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am33°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 am35°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon41°Fdew point 27°F
- 3 pm43°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm39°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm36°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Airport (50 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 51% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 45%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below24 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more4 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.4 in; a dry December brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 3.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 3.6 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 52°F
- Coolest December2010: average high 34°F
- Wettest December1996: 6.5 in
- Driest December1998: 0.6 in
- Highest reading76°F (December 6, 2001)
- Lowest reading4°F (December 23, 2000)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
December compared with November and January
| November | December | January | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 53°F | 43°F | 38°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 27°F | 22°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 9.4 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Baltimore, MD50 mi · high 48°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Buffalo, NY228 mi · high 37°F · 18 wet days
How Gettysburg ranks in December
- Normal high264th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 4 in Pennsylvania
- Wet days219th driest of 378
- Comfortable days218th most of 340
What to pack for Gettysburg in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 27°F, highs near 43°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – about 3.6 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 24 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 941 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Gettysburg in December?
The normal high is 43°F and the normal low is 27°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 4°F (most recently on December 23, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Gettysburg in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (6.5 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.6 in).
Does it snow in Gettysburg in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 3.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 4 days.
Is December a good time to visit Gettysburg?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Gettysburg (33 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Biglerville (USC00360656), 7.3 mi N of the city center, 720 ft (183 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Airport (USW00013734), 50 mi SW of the city center, 534 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Capital City Airport (725118-14751), 33 mi NE of the city center, 335 ft (202 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.